Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions by Lisa Randall Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions
Book Review: Convoluted passages
Summary: 2 Stars
This book starts well, with an intuition filled explanation of the notion of extra dimensions and how diferent worlds or branes can exist within them. Then begins a long descent into into the mire of the standard model, supersymetry and string theory. I had hoped to get some insight into how a lower dimension universe such as ours could exist within a higer dimensional cosmos (or how a brane can exist within a bulk) - and I think the book does manage that. It is also clear, that multi-dimensions and string theory look like the best bet for explaining the rather bizarre behaviour of the subatomic particles generated in collider experiments. At the same time, it soon becomes fairly evident that trying to explain all this stuff without using mathematics is like trying to run uphill with a large anchor on your back. Another big beef I have with this book is the awesome lack of diagrams and pictures. Surely a book about a geometry should have some geometry in it? The writer has a habit of saying the same thing five or more times - and if you didn't get it the first time, you surely won't get it on the fifth! Families of particles.... what about a few tables or family trees to bring order to the chaos? No such luck. Most of this book seems to read like a long linguistic doodle. The writer is no-doubt a genius, but being trapped in her mind is like falling down a wormhole.Book Review: reads like a physics thriller....
Summary: 5 Stars
On the covers of many modern physics books, addressed to laymen interested in the latest developments, abstract graphics is shown, trying to convey a sort of mystical flavour of the subject. But mostly used with the intention to stand out and get the attention of readers, who nowadays are overwhelmed by these books, especially in this World Year of Physics 2005, in which Einstein's work is highlighted.The cover of Lisa Randall's book "Warped Passages: Unravelling the universe's hidden dimensions" is very different. The title and her name are printed in her own handwriting, which gives this book a casual, but dead honest look. As if she has just scribbled down her latest ideas and wants the world to take notice as soon as possible, but in my opinion it marks the style of someone who is brutally honest about her work and wants the reader to really understand what she is talking about.
And you will not be disappointed: her passion for her research is well reflected in this book. I read it almost like a 'who dunnit' thriller so I will not spoil your fun by giving away too much details, but, having read quite a few similar books, this one really stands out in the crowd.
All the familiar characters of modern day physics, like quantum mechanics, relativity theory, particle physics, supersymmetry, string theory and braneworlds come on stage. They are properly introduced to the reader in separate chapters, which each start with a little intermezzo to give you a feel for how the story will go on. It serves both as an appetizer and gives you a moment to reflect before indulging in the next scenes.
This all builds up to the last chapters, where all these characters seem to play a part in a mysterious plot: hiding the evidence for extra dimensions !!
Then you will discover that Lisa Randall has quite a few tricks up her sleeve to push these characters to reveal the truth they so cleverly conceal from us in our everyday four-dimensional world. By introducing several different higher-dimensional models of our universe, she interrogates them one by one. That's hard and arduous work, that's for sure, but you get the exciting impression that they will give in and that answers are laying just around the corner. The author makes a quite convincing story so far and finally asks the reader with the same disarming honesty this question: "Extra dimensions: Are you in or are you out?"
Many questions have yet to be completely answered, but I for one am certainly in...
Don't worry, you won't need a formal background in physics or mathematics to fully appreciate this book. After each chapter the main points are summarized with bullets, as easy reminders without interrupting the natural flow of the story. No formulae are presented in the main text, but in the back however is a math notes section where some subjects are further explained. So if you are a newbie, an amateur physics buff (like me) or even a professional physicist, I am sure the enthusiasm and fun with which the author tells this fascinating story will take you on a rewarding and intellectually challenging adventure !!
Book Review: Buy This Book - It is the best thing of its kind I've read.
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not a scientist. I'm a writer and former actor. But, ever since I was a kid and discovered Scientific American, I've had an abiding interest in science both for the things there are to learn and the recreation that reading science offers. So, I've read a ton of stuff about science.I have read some books that have knocked me off my feet over the years. But, Warped Passeges knocks their sox off. I admired the book so much that after I read my library copy, I bought it.
The first time I ever heard (outside SF, of course) about dimensions beyond three of space and one of time, was not so long ago when New Scientist did a piece on the idea. The problem was that the article raised too many questions of the wrong kind. What the piece whould have done is deal precisely with the questions that were raised. Those were the simple basic questions. For example, What is a dimension? The answer was not forthcoming in any set of words that made sense.
In Warped Passages, Lisa Randall, not only answered that question but it made sense to me and gave me a good idea of what the teeny, tiny ones are. I could never find anyone to make even the slightest sensible explanation before.
The whole book answers rafts of questions of that nature and a whole lot more as well. I'm grateful to her for that. The book even led to the answer to a question that has bothered me for many years - Why is there only one time dimension?
The answer lies in Randall's field of model making (I didn't even know what model making meant in physics before reading the book) which suffuses her book. For me, it was her historical, beginning, middle, end approach that took me by the hand and led me down a pretty wonderful garden path.
You may not need the most basic questions answered. If so, I suppose you can speed-read those passages. However, I think you will still get a huge amount out of the book.
However, if you are anything like me, you will come out of the other end of the book informed and delighted.
Book Review: Three from Two
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a first for me. In all the books I have ever read, I have never contacted the author to say I how much I enjoyed it or that my understanding has improved. I have enjoyed reading your book and my understanding of particle physics has improved. Thanks.Also, I am interested in the Indian worldview, and I believe that some of the aspects of the Standard Model, such as the three generations, have a link with the idea (or theory) of GUNAS in Indian Vedic thinking. The three gunas (or qualities of matter) seem to correspond well with the three generations.
I found your writing style very conducive to the lay person. Although I have been reading popular physics books for a long time, your writing style is the first to have made things so simple (transparent). As you say in your book:
'It takes a lot of work to connect a simple, spare formulation to the more complicated real world.' (p.66)
I believe that is also what you have done to make complex physics ideas accessible to people like me. Ever since I encountered it, I have also used the idea of simplicity. I encountered in a quote by a Jazz musician: 'It is simple to make something complex, but complex to make it simple' (Anon.) And Newton describes nature as: 'exceedingly simple and comfortable to herself.'
Anyway, once again many thanks, and I shall continue reading the book. Your book will itself be a 'Three from Two' for me, the section in your book which so cleverly relates to the reader how we might think about extra dimensions. It grants access to things we have yet to discover - and it becomes a personal lense for me. GREAT SIMPLE FORMULATION of a VERY COMPLEX WAY OF SEEING!!
Book Review: This theory is not even wrong...
Summary: 1 Stars
I kept waiting for the promised unravelling, or some evidence of warped passages, extra dimensions, brane worlds, strings, etc. I never got any. Not a shred of evidence for any of it. It is a gigantic Harvard Physics Department spin zone so I'm rating this book by two stars. This book might just come in handy, however, for a long journey in the wilderness if you run out of bathroom paper...